Hotel Intergate Tokyo Kyobashi is hosting a live, drop-in Handmade Japanese Washi Paper Workshop on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Held on the second floor of the property in the Intergate Lounge from 3:00pm to 6:00pm, the session is led by paper artisan Nao Iwasaka of Tsumugu Washiya and requires no advance reservations for either staying hotel guests or outside visitors.
The Venue
Located steps from Kyobashi and Takaracho stations and a short walk from Ginza, Hotel Intergate Tokyo Kyobashi operates under Granvista Hotels & Resorts’ philosophy of experience-oriented urban lodging.
The hotel's interior draws on Tokyo’s artisanal heritage, specifically Edo kiriko cut glass, which shapes the geometric lattice patterns and metallic detailing throughout the public spaces. The second-floor Intergate Lounge, configured with wide timber communal tables and floor-to-ceiling windows, serves as the setting for the papermaking basins.
How the Workshop Works: From Vat to Postcard
The session relies on the traditional hand-pulled, tesuki (手漉き), papermaking method using raw kōzo (楮) fibers. Participants handle a wooden framing mould known as a suketa (簀桁), submerging the screen into an aqueous bath of dispersed plant cellulose and swirling it to form an interwoven fibrous matrix.
For this event, there will be two guided formats available:
1. Express Course (お手軽コース)
Duration: Approximately 15 minutes
Fee: ¥800 (tax, instruction, and materials included)
Format: Designed for travelers, ght sightseeing itinerary. Participants pull a standard postcard (hagaki) size sheet from raw kōzo pulp, then accent the surface with dyed, pre-tinted mulberry fibers to produce swirling, watercolor-like gradients. The completed piece is dried and ready to take home immediately.
2. Kodawari Artisan Course (こだわりコース)
Duration: Approximately 30 minutes
Fee: ¥1,000 (tax, instruction, and materials included)
Format: Offers deeper tactile control over the design. Working across the wet screen before water extraction, participants embed real autumn leaves, gold and silver foil flakes, and seasonal silhouettes—including festive Halloween bats and jack-o'-lanterns cut from vibrant contrasting paper—directly into the pulp slurry. The inclusions bond permanently within the sheet as the fibers dry and interlock.
The Instructor: Nao Iwasaka from Tsumugu Washiya
The workshop is designed and guided by Nao Iwasaka (岩坂 奈保), founder of Tsumugu Washiya (つむぐ和紙や).
(Source: Instagram)
Drawing on 17 years of experience across educational instruction and traditional Japanese papercraft, Iwasaka established Tsumugu Washiya around the mission of tsumugu ("to spin" or "weave connections"). Her sessions focus on demystifying traditional techniques, presenting Japanese washi paper as an approachable, tactile medium that fosters creative focus.
Event Details & Workshop Schedule
Event Name: Hand-Pulled Japanese Washi Paper Workshop (手漉き和紙づくりワークショップ)
Host Venue: Hotel Intergate Tokyo Kyobashi, 2F Intergate Lounge ( 3-7-8 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo) - 1-minute walk from Kyobashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line; 1-minute walk from Takaracho Station on the Toei Asakusa Line
Date & Time: Saturday, October 31, 2026 | 15:00 – 18:00
Admission / Booking: No advance reservation required; open drop-in for hotel guests and the general public
Official Event Page: intergatehotels.jp/tokyo-kyobashi/recommendation/26210.html
